Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-10-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
EARLY LIMA REANS.


pods of Lima beans for seed. ~ they
are always the earl est. Like begets
like in this respect. Some seed growers
have obtained in this way Lima beans
so mach earlier than the common kind
as to merit the claim of being dis
tinct yariety. 1t is a good plan to
begin growing Lima beans by plant
ing this early kind.
OATS AND PEAS As GREEN FEED.
1t 5 the practice OF some milkmen TO
SOW II mixture of oats and peas in sue
Uession for green feed. The oats are
cut just as they are coming in head, by
which time the pea vines will be pretty
well podded. Though the bulk is not
30 great as from sowed corn. the COWS
eat it readily, and it makes IA richer
and better milk-producing food than
does most sowed corn.
PROTECTING FRUIT FROM WINDS.
1t seems every Fall as if there j,
greater prevalence Of high winds, and
it becomes therefore more important
to have fruit trees in places whore
there is some natural protection
against them. \ block OF woods or
high hill on the windward side of the
orchard is valuable feature, and adds
enormously to its productiveness. If
these are not already provided, a wind
break of evergreens should be planted,
so ~ TO protect the orchard on the side
most apt to be exposed.
SEED AND PLANTS II FLOwER-Pors.
More ineXper enced persons fail
from sowing or planting in nower-pots
than in any other way. A used by
gardeners. they are plunged in moist,
warm earth, and with a good deal of
care to keep the temperature even they
are all right. But the ilower-pot is
porous. A, It stands on the shelf eX-
posed to winds at all seasons the mois-
ture in the earth inside passes off. leav-
ing the plant to perish. A wooden box
is far better for plants; and even the
SOL in it should be mulched.
SAVING STRAW FOR FEED.
Straw has considerable nutrtve
value if rightly used, though TO try to
Winter any stock on it alone is such an
abuse OF il as to make the possession of
straw stack an absolute injury To any
one who attemps it At present prices
of grain and oilmeal one or both may
be fed in connection with straw, the
latter giving bulk and all the nutiri-
ment of which it is capable. If fed
alone stock will not eat straw readily,
and their digestion will be so poor that
they cannot get full benefit of what they
DO eat
PROPPING BEARING TREES.
Ii is better to use props under over
loaded fruit trees than to have limbs
break down from weight of fruit, In
most cases, however, these overloaded
trees my be better saved by judicious
thinning of the crop. The prop may be
knocked out. and the sudden jar will
then surely break the limb dependent
upon it. Possibly the thinning may
have TO be done twice, as it makes a
great difference in size Of The remaining
fruit. Usually, however. at the second
time of thinning the fruit will be large
enough to use.
JERSEY SWEET APPLE
For delicious Summer baking apple
there is nothing better than the Jerse Y
sweet, when it grows to perfection. 1t
is rather small, but sweet almost as
honey when ripe, either raw or cooked.
1t bakes soft and, having small cores.
may be eaten almost entire. Baked
apples and milk are a luxury that ought
to be within reach of all. The Jersey
sweet bears every year, one full crop
and the off years half one. 1t is in
prime only in August and September,
its short duration being the greatest
objection to growing it extens vely.
CUCUMBERs FOR PICKLES AND FOR SEED.
Few men can do more than one thing
well-trying to excel in several oppo-
site points, they fail in all. The poor
cucumber plant, expected to produce
cucumbers for seed. for cutting up on
the table and for picking. is in this
same predicamcnt it is not success in
anything. Anyone who has tried 1t
knows quickly the ripening of one seed
cucumber will exhaust the vine SO that
it will not produce any pickles worth
mentioning. 1t : better to grow one
or two plants purposey for seed and
save only the earliest well-grown speci-
men. Tbs will help to retain the ear
reproducing quality in the variety.
SWEETNESS IN SOUR APPLES.
Most people can at once distinguish
the difference in taste between sweet
and sour apples. The latter term is,
however. misnomer. The apples, il
high favored, are not absolutely sour.
but only tart, their sweetness being
obscured by the acid they contain. The
fact that so-called sour apples have
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